Steve Hanks died in 2015. My husband’s brother is recognized as one of the best water colorartists of his time. Known for his exceptional mastery of watercolor painting, achieving a level of realism and detail that is rare in the medium.
 

Emotional Realism, characterized by detailed and realistic depictions of light and shadow. Backlighting is also a signature element of his style. He often leaves the faces of his figures obscured or turned away, not only to leave the face to the imagination of the viewer but also to allow the entire figure to express the emotion. Each of his paintings contains a mystery and reveals the emotions and stories of the artist who created them. His paintings were highly detailed and realistic.